Improvement plan outlined in new EEAST report

THE ambulance service has released details of its action plan designed to address shortcomings highlighted in independent reviews.

The East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) published the report earlier this month, outlining ways it can deliver better patient care, service delivery, and a better workforce and leadership.

It follows recommendations from the independent governance review, which said improvements needed to be made.

EEAST chief executive Andrew Morgan said: "A great deal of hard work went into pulling together the new integrated plan to ensure we covered the recommendations in the independent governance review, the issues raised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and our own turnaround plan published in April.

"In essence, we focus on how we need more frontline staff and ambulances, the ways in which we can be more efficient, and the strong leadership needed.

"We have been working for some months now on tackling these issues, such as starting a recruitment drive for paramedics, and reducing sickness levels and our private ambulance service provision, and the aims within this plan quite clearly support our position as a forward looking trust which knows what needs to happen."

Changes include appointing new non-executive directors, re-examining objectives, ensuring letters and e-mails are replied to ahead of deadlines, and holding directors and senior leaders to account.

It also hopes to improve recruitment processes and clearer career progression.